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Your new film Siphoned - in a few words, what is it about,
and what can you tell us about your character?
The film's promo
poster says it all - "You can't chase a dream with an empty
tank"! I love that quote. The film is basically about two struggling
actors in LA who happen to be roommates. They're trying to figure out a
way to make some cash while they are waiting for some acting money to come
in, and Kurt (Josh Mitchell [Josh
Mitchell interview - click here]) has the bright idea to siphon gas from cars
to earn some dough so that they can fill their own tank to make it to
auditions during pilot season. This decision leads to some disastrous
consequences - I don't want to give away too much, but everything spirals
out of control. My character is Chris - he is a little more introspective
and contemplative, but he's definitely not the smartest guy in the bunch.
He's easily influenced by Kurt, even though he knows what they are doing
is a bad idea. He's very naive, and sort of dumb in a way. I think he's
one of those guys who is book smart, but not necessarily street smart. Or
any other kind of smart, for that matter. It was a really fun character to
play. How did
you get involved with the project in the first place? I
submitted for the project on Actors Access and Josh [Josh
Mitchell interview - click here]
asked
me to come do a reading and meet with him. I originally came in to read
for the character of “Brent,” which ended up being played by Bruce
Kade [Bruce Kade interview -
click here]. It’s the scene where Kurt runs into his actor
“buddy” outside and they have a conversation about an upcoming Jon
Favreau pilot audition. Josh ended up thinking I would be a better fit for
Chris, so we discussed the project, and ran some lines. We share a lot of
similar views on the story, the characters, and we really just hit it off.
We stayed in touch over e-mail, and a couple days later, he let me know
that he wanted to officially offer me the role of Chris! You
of course have to talk about your director and co-star Josh Mitchell for a
bit, and what was your collaboration like [Josh
Mitchell interview - click here]?
Josh Mitchell, Josh Thrower |
Josh
has honestly been awesome from the start. He really has a unique vision
and outlook on things. He’s very creative, not just with writing and
coming up with ideas, but he’s a really visual guy. I can’t even begin
to wonder how much is going on inside his head at once, but somehow he
manages to harness it all and make things happen. Working on this film was
a 101 on guerilla-style indie filmmaking. First scene, take one. Okay,
take two. Got it, let’s move on. He’s super fast-paced and knows what
he wants. He’s easy to work with, in my opinion, because he’s able to
really motivate people. I remember it was early in the morning on the
first day of shooting, and the crew was a little sluggish since it was
early. Josh walks onto set and just starts giving this vivid depiction of
the opening scene of me cooking the ramen. With his thick Boston accent
coming on full force, he goes into it, “Water boiling! BOOM! Siphoned!
Cut. Josh punching the ramen! Cut! Me walking into the apartment! Cut!
We’re fucked! Cut! BOOM!” He had this look in his eyes that just riled
everyone up. From that point on, we were off to the races. It was cool too
because he was constantly asking me my opinion, and he made me feel like a
part of the creative process. He’s willing to take on ideas from others,
and works well with people. With Josh, there’s no time to slack and get
lazy – if you’re not ready to work, he’s going to leave you in the
dust. He’s thinking multiple shots ahead, which is crazy! Shooting this
film was an amazing opportunity that I’m extremely grateful to be a part
of. He’s one of the few people in this town who talks a good game, but
actually does the things he says and follows through. Most people don’t
walk the walk, and with Josh, he doesn’t just walk the walk – he’s
in a full on sprint. Since you play
a struggling actor in Hollywood in Siphoned - how much of yourself
did you find in your character, and how did you approach your character to
begin with? I
can relate to a number of things with Chris (except for the siphoning gas
part – haven’t done that…yet). For starters, I know what it’s like
to be waiting for money to come in from a gig I did months prior. I know
what it’s like to submit myself for projects on my own, multiple times
per day. Luckily, I’m able to have my own place, and I don’t have to
have a roommate any longer, but I know what that’s like. I know what
it’s like to not book anything for a while and get down about it. To me,
Chris seemed like a guy who definitely puts a lot of thought into
everything – almost like he over-thinks everything. I tend to do that as
well, but I’m a lot better about it than I used to be. Even though Chris
knows the difference between right and wrong, he still goes along with a
stupid idea knowing it’s going to probably end badly, but Kurt is pretty
persuasive. I wanted Chris to come across as very naïve, sort of silly,
sort of nerdy (but cool nerdy), and still have some level mystery about
him. Kurt is the opposite - he makes the brash, reckless decisions and
doesn't care who he affects as long as he makes it out on top. I think we
played well off of each other, and had this bickering back and forth thing
going on that just worked. As a character, I wanted Chris to have a
motivation, but maybe he doesn’t even know what his own motivation is,
which seems to be the worst kind of stupidity - motivation without
ambition. Hopefully I was able to convey that on screen! J What can you tell us about critical and
audience reception of Siphoned so far?
So
far, it’s been better than I ever expected. We had over 1,000 unique
views in less than 48 hours of release, which was unbelievable. I’ve
received a lot of positive feedback and reviews thus far. I’ve been
doing a few interviews like this, and I’m even doing some radio
interviews across the country. A lot of people have sent me awesome
messages and e-mails giving me their opinions. Many people wanted it to be
a feature length, others are asking about sequel already! A lot of people
think Josh and I played well off of each other and want to see us in
something else again. I know Josh has some great scripts he wants to
produce, so if you want to see him and I in another film together, let him
know so he can cast me in his next project! I would love to do work with
him again. Let's go
back to the beginnings of your career: What got you into acting in the
first place, and did you receive any formal education on the subject? I’ve
always loved movies. When I was a kid, I loved big blockbuster films. My
mom always loved movies. Her favorites are Jaws and A Nightmare Before
Christmas (as well as Everafter, An American President, and a number of
other soon-to-be-classics….*sarcasm*). My dad is really into classic
films, so he sort of got me interested in some of the classics (It’s A
Wonderful Life, Sunset Blvd, etc.). I never thought I could actually work
in film and make a valid living and career out of it. I still don’t
think it’s real sometimes, but every time I work on a project and I can
see the end result, it’s a magical feeling. I grew up playing sports, and
theatre was never the “cool” thing. It was all about basketball,
football, and baseball where I grew up in Colorado. I mainly played
basketball and football, and it wasn’t until I was in college at
CU-Boulder where I realized I might want to express myself through acting.
I took classes at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center one summer, and
loved it. After taking classes there, I had one audition during college,
and I memorized this dramatic monologue before going in. I definitely
bombed the audition, so I didn’t try very hard to find auditions after
that. I booked a part off of a headshot in a film called Poopie The
Clown or something like that, as a homeless guy, but I bailed last
minute because of stage fright. After that, I didn’t really pursue it,
but I took some theatre classes and after switching my major a million
different times, I settled on Film Studies after taking a film history
course. I realized I wanted to study film history and critique it – so
that’s what I did. I took production classes too, and even got accepted
into the BFA program, which I subsequently turned down, in favor of
graduating on time and moving to Los Angeles. After working in LA for a
couple years behind the scenes, I realized that I was more interested in
the people in front of the camera, and I really thought, “Hey, I want to
do that. I want to play a character and pretend to be someone else. I will
make this happen.” I phased my way out of production, and started taking
classes at The Acting Corps in Burbank. Since that time, I have had a
couple of different commercial agents. I’m currently with TAG Models/Pantheon Talent and Tag Turner (my agent) is awesome. I’m
currently taking classes at Scott Sedita Studios weekly, and I attend
casting workshops all the time (I highly recommend these). As I said
before, I go to a lot of plays, watch a lot of movies, and I’m always
reading a film-related book. I think it’s important to stay well rounded
and knowledgeable on the field as a whole.
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What
can you tell us about your filmwork prior to Siphoned?
Siphoned
is my first lead role in a short film. Prior to Siphoned, I was in a
feature film called Herpes Boy that won Best Comedy at Comic-Con in
2010 and the audience award at the Austin Film Festival. It stars Beth
Grant (Donnie Darko) and Octavia Spencer (right before she won her Oscar
for Best Supporting Actress in The Help). I played a douche-bag jock who
makes viral video mockeries of the main character. You can check it out on
iTunes!
Other than that, I haven’t had a ton of major film experience
(other than student films, and bit roles here and there). I’ve done the
“extra” work thing for a bunch of shows. Although it didn’t require
much acting, I was a season regular on the 5th season of
Millionaire Matchmaker on Bravo. I was Patti’s driver. You can catch the
episodes on TV quite often, as they air the re-runs constantly. Other than
that, most of my experience has been in commercials and print – I’m
really just getting started! I’ve done a commercial for Funny or Die,
Pepsi Next, Vinki (a Korean juice drink), Glamour Kills (a clothing
company), and a few others like Pantech and a Sony Ericsson camera spot. Any
future projects you'd like to share? I
was in a music video recently for a David Guetta song – it could
possibly be the official video for the single, pending his decision, so
hopefully that will be available to the masses online soon. Either way,
people will get to see it at some point. Things have been off to a great
start thus far in 2013, so keep an eye out for me – I don’t want to
give away too much, but stay tuned to my website (www.joshthrower.com)
for updates! J Besides films, you
have also done lots of commercials, music videos and the like. How does
making these compare to making actual movies? I
love doing commercials. The auditions don’t usually require memorizing
any sides – you usually go in and they have you improv a scene. Those
are a lot of fun for me. Print gigs are great too – I’ve done a couple
of big shoots for major brands like Coca Cola and General
Motors. Scripted
film and TV is on a whole other level. I love memorizing lines, playing a
character, reading scripts, analyzing every little detail – I’m a
weirdo like that. I’m definitely not a “method” actor by any means,
but I could see how actors like Daniel Day Lewis fully immerse themselves
in a character to prepare. I love the entire filmmaking process – I
mean, I have a bachelor’s degree in film studies. That’s got to count
for something, right? You've
also worked in various other positions in filmmaking besides acting. Do
talk about your non-acting gigs for a bit, and which were your favourite
jobs, which could you have done without?
I’ve
held all kinds of positions, especially out here in Los Angeles. When I
first moved out here, I was doing production assistant work. I sent my
resume and contact information to every posting I could find on Craig’s
List (there was still some decent gigs posted on there in 2007!). My first
gig was a PA job on a show called On The Lot, which was a Fox reality
competition show for filmmakers. I was a PA to the 1st
Assistant Director of one of the units. It really opened a lot of doors
for me. We got to work on the Universal
back lot on my first studio
experience. One night, after the crew was gone and I was the last one left
in the trailer finishing up the grunt work, I was walking back to my car
and I was alone on the back lot. I started walking around and was just
mesmerized by the sets. I walked up the steps to the famous Back to the
Future clock tower, and I just felt completely at home. At that moment, I
knew that I wanted to be in the industry. It’s still one of the coolest
memories I have – aimlessly wandering the Universal back lot at 2:00 AM.
After a period of doing PA work, I got into casting for reality shows and
began working with a casting producer. While working for her, I was able
to travel and do a lot of amazing things. We did the casting for a show on
NBC called America’s Toughest Jobs. Her and I went on the road
during production, and I got to spend three months in Alaska, Texas, and
Washington, among other places. I got to step foot on a crab-fishing boat
in the Bering Sea, stand in the below-zero air in the Arctic Circle in a
little town called Deadhorse, and see firsthand what it takes to maintain
and drive a monster truck. It was one of the best gigs I have ever been a
part of. After about nine months working for her, we parted ways and I
ended up getting a job working at a hotel stocking the mini-bars in the
rooms. While doing that job, I was also writing/producing music at the
time, and a friend of mine who I met at the hotel also happened to be into
the same stuff, so we formed a hip-hop group and began producing, writing,
and rapping all of our own stuff (yes, I was a rapper). We started doing
shows and performed all over Southern California. Eventually, I got a job
at the same hotel as a supervisor in one of the restaurants and did that
for a year. After leaving there, I ended up getting that job as a driver
for Patti Stanger on Millionaire Matchmaker. After that gig, I worked with
another high-profile celebrity as a wardrobe assistant. Now, I’m working
a retail store here in LA, which allows me the flexibility to have a
full-time acting career and helps pay the bills. It’s amazing and I’m
grateful that I can do something other than waiting tables as an actor
(not that there is anything wrong with being a waiter or bartending).
I’ve
always been the type that is grateful for every opportunity, and I have a
hard time turning down any gig. Even in jobs that I didn’t have as much
as fun at, I still find the positive things in every situation. In high
school, I cleaned bathroom and filled water coolers on a golf course. Most
people wouldn’t want to clean bathrooms, and I’m no exception to that,
but I got to drive a golf cart for all 8 hours of my shift – what could
be better?!
How would you
describe yourself as an actor, and what do you draw upon to bring your
characters to life? I’m honestly still trying to figure
out myself as an actor, and I think every actor’s career is constantly a
work in progress. I would ideally like to bring honestly and a sense of
humor to the table. I would like to play characters that other people can
relate to. I try to draw upon my own experiences when I’m analyzing a
script. If my character is in the middle of a break-up, I relate my own
experiences to that situation. It’s really fun for me to play roles that
are the opposite of what their counterpart would be in my life. Like, if
my character is breaking up with their significant other, I try to imagine
how girls that broke up with me at one point in my own life would feel and
I try to channel that. Does that make sense? It’s fun and kind of
twisted in a way to pretend to be the person on the opposite end of the
spectrum. One thing I’ve learned about acting, which I think was
hammered home while taking classes at The Acting Corps in Burbank a few
years back. I had a great instructor named Ben Mathes and he basically
taught me that in a scene,“less is usually more.” Basically, if in a
scene, your character is angry and it seems like the natural thing to do
would be to yell to express your anger, try doing the opposite – convey
your anger in a quiet, subtle way. It usually has more of an impact. I
still have so much to learn, and luckily, I’ve been able to surround
myself with some amazing people to learn from. Actors who inspire you?
There
are so many. Honestly, anyone who acts is an inspiration to me, because it
is an extremely difficult art. I try and go to a play every week, just so
I can watch actors in action. I just saw an amazing version of a play
called Benched in North Hollywood. The acting was phenomenal – one
of the main actors was the guy who played Marla Hooch’s dad in A
League of Their Own.
As
far as classic film actors, William Holden, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant,
Errol Flynn – these guys are all amazing. I think William Holden’s
character in Sunset Blvd is a lot like my character in Siphoned in
terms of personality and demeanor, as well as choices he makes. Of course,
you have to go with Jack Nicholson, Pacino, DeNiro, etc.
As
for newer actors, there are so many. I think Giovanni Ribisi is extremely
underrated. Bradley Cooper as well (Silver Linings Playbook was
phenomenal). I think Ryan Gosling gets better with each movie he does.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx were unreal in Django Unchained. As big as Brad
Pitt is, I still think he is somehow underrated, if that’s even
possible. I thought Tupac Shakur was an amazing actor, and unfortunately,
he didn’t get to do very many films before his untimely passing (same
goes for Heath Ledger). I think Joaquin Phoenix is great (The Master was
ridiculously good). Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been killing it lately. Liam
Neeson is so fun to watch in the Taken films. Robert Downey
jr is great
too – he just has this swagger about him that makes you want to be his
best friend and hang out with him. Same with Johnny Depp.
Your
favourite movies? My
favorite movies are Lost Horizon, Rear Window, The Shawshank
Redemption,
Beautiful Girls, Casino, Vertigo, Bend of the River (Jimmy Stewart
western), The Shining, and so many more. I’m a big fan of Frank Capra
films, Hitchcock, Kubrick, Scorcese, all the usual suspects. I’m a fan
of the big blockbuster flicks – all the Harry Potter movies,
Star Wars,
Lord of the Rings, anything that is epic and on that grand of a scale.
These films are what makes going to the movies fun. ... and of course, films you really
deplore? There
is a pretty bad one called Blood Moon that came free with the purchase of
the Lucky Number Slevin DVD. I still can’t figure out if Blood Moon was
meant to be funny or not – I’m guessing not. The main character is an
Eddie Murphy-Beverly Hills Cop wanna-be, and on top of being a cop, he
does magic tricks at inappropriate times on crime scenes (from what I
remember). It’s a weird flick, but I actually suggest people go and
check it out. I can’t really think of any films I deplore – I mean,
there are movies I wouldn’t watch again. Not to cop out on this one, but
I don’t want to trash anyone’s art – if someone wrote a film and
went to the great length of shooting it and releasing it – there is
something to be said about that and I’d rather praise someone’s
creative effort than bash them for what I personally deem to be terrible.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. It’s okay to wrap up the
interview with a cliché, right?!
Your website, Facebook, whatever else?
www.joshthrower.com
www.facebook.com/throwerj
(add
me on Facebook!)
www.vimeo.com/58756500
(link
to Siphoned)
www.wickidpissapublicity.com
(Josh
Mitchell’s site)
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Anything
else you are dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
Last
words. I want to give a big thank you to my Mom and to my whole family, as
well as my friends I’ve grown up with. Without them, I wouldn’t be
able to follow the dreams I am able to fulfill now. Love you guys!
Also,
some of my favorite quotes ever are in Jimmy Stewart films – morsels of
life lessons, if you will. “I always have a wonderful time, wherever I
am, whoever I’m with” is a quote of his from Harvey. “In
this world you must be oh-so-smart or oh-so-pleasant. Well for years I was
smart. I recommend pleasant and you may quote me.” That one is from
Harvey too. Another
one I abide by is “If we don’t try we don’t do, and if we don’t
do, what are we on this Earth for?”, which is from Shenandoah. Go watch
some James Maitland Stewart films, and learn a thing or two! If there is
something you want to do, go and do it. Every second you spend not
pursuing something, there are thousands, if not millions of people, out
there already doing the thing you want to be doing. Go for it. Why
not?
Thanks
for the interview!
Thank
you so much for the opportunity to speak with you! To anyone reading this,
please do me a huge favor and go watch Siphoned! If you already saw
it, watch it again and then share the link! :)
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